US photojournalist relieved at receiving permission to travel after Thai body armor arrest

BANGKOK – A U.S. photojournalist arrested in Thailand for possessing a bulletproof vest and helmet has expressed relief that a court granted him permission to leave the country until a Sept. 17 bail renewal hearing.

Hok Chun Anthony Kwan was detained at Bangkok's international airport on Aug. 23 when the equipment was discovered in his baggage as he was about to leave Thailand. He had been working for Hong Kong-based Initium Media and covering the aftermath of an Aug. 17 bombing in Bangkok that killed 20 people.

Kwan, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, said in a text message Tuesday that his legal ordeal had affected his work and caused trouble for his colleagues. He did not say if he plans to leave Thailand.